Small truck
 

I am thinking about getting a light duty truck, something like a tacoma or colorado. Probably extended cab. What do ya'll think is the best for reliabilty and best all around extras for the price and APR right now.

Toyota is really f'in proud of their tacomas I noticed. No 0% interest and they are totally not in the mood to deal even with the accelerator issue giving them a bad rep.

Buy a used Tacoma. Or do you only want new?

Used tacoma, but the back seat is worthless on the extended cab.

and I hate toyota.

Another vote for Tacoma.

I would also strongly weigh the benefits of new vs used.

I know that Toyota is proud of them but it seems like owners are even proudER. The way those things hold their resale, you can actually come out about even, sometimes ahead if you get a new one for a good price.

I've wanted a Colorado for a long time... but even I would take the Tacoma over the Colorado :lol:

There are no other decent light duty trucks.
The ranger sucks
the dakota sucks
the s-10/colorado sucks
the nissian whatever it was sucks

The last gen Nissan frontier is pretty nice.. I don't like the new ones so much.. You can even get a nismo version that's really good for "muddin".. lol

I can't find anyone who will budge from MSRP around here, over $10k is a huge difference between equal models on the rest of the trucks. I can get a Chevy 1500 new for cheaper than a new Tacoma. Which is just ridiculous

Buy a 5-6 yo Tacoma. It will last longer than anything else brand new.

The few friends that have owned the Colorado ended up hating it and trading it within a few months. I dont have any info on the toyota.

What I would recommend for the smaller trucks is the Ford Explorer Trac. Ray and Mari have one and LOVE it, they've driven the wheels off it. Plenty of room even for a smaller truck and does just about anything you could want it to do.

thats the ranger with the short bed, no thanks

The Sport Trac is an Explorer with a bed. Still built on the Ranger chassis though.

um, no that truck isnt I dont think. if anything, its now an F150 chassis really. explorers adn rangers stopped sharing a lot of dna a long time ago, oohhhhh about 3 redesigns back.

I'd go with a ranger, chevies are pieces of shit.

I've had 4 Rangers now(okay the one we have now is a Mazda, but it's the same thing).

If you have the money, I'd say go for a used Tacoma. New Rangers are ridiculously over priced, I have gotten all of mine used for dirt cheap. Run them til I kill them. :shrug:

I had a Colorado crew cab as my work truck and it sucked. Shitty power, poor fuel mileage, and the bed was ridiculously small.
The only good thing was I was allowed to take it off road, since it was 4 wheel drive.

This is the Explorer Sport Trac...

http://hiddeals.com/catalog/images/2...ac-4x4-001.jpg

I didn't even know they still sold those Chevy Colorados.

I don't know about the current generation, but my 2002 V8 extended cab is at 108,000 miles, has survived a couple of fender benders and one serious accident, and has had no mechanical problems to speak of.:idk:
The only reason I want to replace it is because I'm kind of tired of having a truck when I so rarely haul anything and I'd like something that gets at least somewhat better gas mileage

*eta: the only thing that's sucked about it is the not-so-great brakes, but that could just be the older ones.

I know what it is and the answer is still hell no, lol

Yeah, I was hoping it was a good climate to get one with how much shit Toyota is getting, but I guess not. I am not going to sacrifice for a shitty light duty over the Tacoma. Looks like I will get a 1/2 ton
over any of the rest of the crap out there besides Tacoma.

I had a Sonoma, that shit fell apart all the damn time.

Colorado is a 5cyl.. fuck that.. My friends dad had one for a couple months and quickly sold it because of the same reasons stated above.. he's now had his silverado for a couple years and that gets better mileage..

I didn't see it mentioned but I have had great luck with my Honda Ridgeline. Reliable as all get out (Unlike the Titan it replaced) Reasonable mileage, decent towing and under bed dry storage. As an Owner I would say they are worth a look

If you're going to get a Tacoma, get the X-Runner, it's the sportiest and best-handling pickup. There's really no reason not to.

The Ridgeline is another good choice as well, in terms of how it drives.

Other than those two I wouldn't buy any other pickup. I can't stand how they handle and ride.

I am probably just not going to get anything right now. I am not ready to spend MSRP with no perks money on a new Tacoma and not going to settle for a piece of crap. I don't really want a 1/2 ton at this time. I will probably just save some money and not get anything. I don't really need it. Just was hoping it was a good time to get a Tacoma, but alas, it's not.

The Titan is a Nissan product.

What do you want from the truck? Do you need 4wd? Do you want/need a v8, v6, or 4 banger. Do you want/need auto or manual? Towing big/heavy shit?

When I got mine I wanted all the nice shit (V8, leather, crew cab, 4x4, etc.) but I didn't want to spend the money any of the dealerships wanted (2005, when trucks were still selling well). I went the opposite direction and got the previous gen. Nissan Frontier 4 banger manual 2wd extended cab. I have overloaded it (~2,000lbs), off-roaded it (speed/momentum is key) and generally beat the shit out of it without any problems after 90k+ miles.

Yes, the 4 cyl is anemic, but I get halfway decent mileage as part of the deal (22mpg+ highway with the bike in the bed averaging 80mph+). The only real complaint I have is lack of room in the cab for the 3rd passenger (single side facing jump seat), but I don't often have more than one passenger. The current gen. seems to have fixed that and added another seat (2 forward facing jump seats).

Tacoma

Curious, why a light duty over a 1/2 ton?

I contemplated the same thing when I bought my F-150.
Price of Ranger vs F-150 was within a couple grand. Mileage was within 1-2 mpg, and towing/hauling capacity is far greater with a half ton.
To me it was a no brainer to get the 1/2 ton. I may not have a regular use for the full capacity, but it was there if/when I needed it.

$27k is a lot to spend on an extended cab compact truck with limited payload and towing.

I was assuming he was considering used trucks as well. That model has been out for years.

And if all he plans on doing is hauling a bike, that's all the truck he needs.

I grew up with a light duty, it's all I really need and I like a smaller sized vehicle.

I was really only considering getting one because of the Toyota issues, I was hoping I could get a decent price on a new one. I hoped wrong.

Fair enough.
I grew up with 3/4 ton diesels, so that's what I want. :lol:

My Mazda B3000 is a 1/2 ton. :shrug:

Back in the day, Toyota made a 1 ton.

It was still a mini truck. :shrug:

Generally, if someone is referring to a 1/2, 3/4 or 1 ton, they are talking about a full size truck.

Base Taco with a 4banger and 5spd is about 16K.
How much are you looking to spend on it?

Base model Taco's are great little trucks.

What's pimp is masking off the TO and the TA, so that you're left with YO on the liftgate.

Mahindra, baby! :lmao:

Welcome to 1985.

Yeah, not around here. Fuckers are trying to get close to 25-27k out of them. I need to try other regions.

Yeah, and?

The 80's and 90's shit all over the double-oh's.

I'm guessing thats for V6 models?
I'm HOPING thats for V6 models.

Nah, this one I was looking at was a freakin 4 cyl, f'in pissed me off.

I need to see if I can find a dealership with a 4 cyl extended cab leftover 09 if I can

only faggots and pussies buy those useless extended cab trucks. if you want extra space, go crew cab o go home.

I don't want to sacrifice bed space for a crew cab, the extended cab bed on a light duty truck is already small enough.

It's not something I want for people sitting back there, it's to throwing shit like moto gear and luggage.

Why? so you can cart all your man friends around?
ghey

2010 Extended Cab - 19K

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

2009 17K

http://www.cars.com/go/search/detail...5&aff=national

plustrillion

if anything's ghey, it's those "stepside/flaresides" like the Ranger Splash. The bed size is an absolute joke.

Jeez..
I remember when the Ranger Splash first came out.
It was considered a pretty decent sport truck :lol:

What WAS the deal with those stepside\flareside styles?
I vaguely remember something about easy access to the bed.

Well, being able to step up and jump into the bed is pretty cool I guess, but not if the bed becomes 2 feet narrower as a result.

I guess they were hoping it'd become a beach cruiser/chick magnet, used primarily for hauling people and beer, rather than anything useful.

I think they were on Baywatch for awhile

fuck em. they can ride in the bed.

stepside trucks are BEYOND worthless. my mom at one point decided she wanted an S10 ZQ8 package truck. dont ever get one if you want to tow anything. those beds are WAY too tiny or anything but throwing a single motorcycle in.

Ive had my colorado crew cab for almost 4 years now, 80k miles on it and I'm getting ready to replace a turn signal bulb. Steering is kinda vauge, but most trucks I've driven are like that. I gotta dissagree with everyone else on the gas mileage, I'm getting mid to upper 20's, I think my highest mpg for a tank has been 28mpg, but usually it sits around 25. I have the short bed, 5 foot, the tailgate folds half way down to support a 4x8 sheet of plywood, and I can easily fit 2 bikes in the back, and have fit 3 sport bikes back there before. The 4 cyl has 185 hp and can tow 4500 lbs. If you want more power there is a 5 cyl and a v8, 5 cyl sounds wierd but it is just like an I6 without the 6th cyl. I have driven it up and down the east coast a few times, last year down to the rally, and the year before to NC with a bike in the back, a pop up camper behind it, and 4 people and all associated luggage. the turning radius kinda sucks for a small truck but its not noticable unless you do a Uturn on a small street. Its really not any better or worse than the japanese small trucks, but it is cheaper, a few thousand cheaper. I was able to get mine for around 5k less than comparable japanese models, and the value drop since has been on par.

nice, will have to check out some places close to me

One very happy Toyota Tacoma owner here. I traded my tired, beat-up F150 during the Cash-4-Clunkers shindig and have enjoyed doubling my gas mileage. Does the 2.7l I4 move like the 302? No. Does it function very well as a work truck (Standard Cab, Automatic, no other 'frills') - you bet! I would so far (only 7 months of ownership, just < 6K miles) not hesitate to buy another one.

I'm not sure why a Ranger isn't an option. They have great manual transmissions, rear ends and dead reliable engines. Not to mention they are cheap.

Tacomas are overpriced. They are not the Toyotas of the 1980s and early 1990s, thus not worth the extra cost.

I owned an Isuzu I-290 (same as Colorado) junk IMO.

:lol: don't you work for Isuzu?

Since when?

James

I'm guessing since it was built. :lol:

It's a 2002. :shrug:

Nope, wrong.

It always was based off of the Ford Ranger, which is NOT a 1/2 ton.

B3000 just means it has a 3.0L engine.

Why yes...:lol


The 4cyl. and manual combination was VG though and the truck is slightly bigger than the older S-10.

I'd get a Frontier if I wanted a smaller truck or a Ranger if a wanted an even smaller one.

Okay. Well I suppose my title is lying. :shrug:

I know what the B3000 means. I didn't figure 3000 meant 1/2 ton. I may be a girl, but come on. :lol:

This would be correct. Ford builds an outstanding truck. not necessarily luxurious, but its a truck, you cant ask for lexus like ride and interior luxury. theres a great reason you see a lot of GM and mopar pickups for sale, people come to hate them. you almost NEVER see any F series trucks, or rangers for sale here. people know they're bulletproof work rigs and keep em til they fall apart, then they fix em and keep on usin em.

Your title says 1/2 ton? Its a 1/4 ton truck. Always has been.

James

Yes. That's what I am trying to say. My title says it's a 1/2 ton. It very well might not be, but that's what it says.

Someone got it wrong then because the Mazdas are 1/4 ton trucks just like the Ranger.

James

El Caminos are also listed as half ton trucks. :lol:

I have a Stepside F150 and the bed size isnt that much different than a Regular Bed...I Could squeak two bikes in the bed...Its when you get into the Smaller trucks that it really makes a difference. And weather you think so or not it does help when you have to load and unload shit into the bed of a truck.

I do love Taco's though...And if you cant fit a bike in the bed with the tailgate up...You shouldnt leave the tailgate on in the first place...Thats common sense.

Why?
what would the back tire rest on if you removed the tailgate?

I don't get the "remove the tailgate" thing either. It would be a pain in the ass to load my bike in without the tailgate and once the bike is in I wouldn't be able to get the tailgate off.

Short of Having a short bed a 6 foot bed should fit a bike easily...But I know a buddy of mine puts his 1k Gixxer in the bed of his S10 and he takes his tailgate off...The tire still rests on the edge of the bed...And Also, It's Easier to load it in his truck without the tailgate...He puts the ramp on the actual bed of the truck not the tailgate.

All tailgates are held up by are cables...If those snap while your loading your bike your fucked.

The cables snapping are the least of my worries. They have supported far more weight than that of the rear of my bike. (or even the entire bike while loading.)

My sister has one of those.

That's actually pretty funny and neat. I would rather it in a Mini Cooper though.

I would say Tacoma first. But for alot less money I had an '06 Ranger XLT 4x4 low mileage and it was an excellent truck. I have a Lariat F150 now and I still miss that Ranger as a daily driver

I bought a tacoma. It's just a little low end 4 cyl extended cab, but its all I need. I will get some pics up soon.

Seen it on fb, looks good

Congrats, Trip, I hope it serves you well.

Good mileage but decent pickup and towing from what everyone tells me

Nice, did you get the manual or auto trans?

if you are gonna put your bike in there and have the tailgate down wth the back wheel on it, put a board under the wheel or you can easily crush the tailgate. I crused the tailgate of my colorado with a bike tire, now I just slide one of the ramps under it and no problem at all. And I wouldnt worry about snapping cables unless they are really in bad shape, anything that is decent shape can support a ton of wieght

Damn, that sucks. I guess only the pivots on each side support the tailgate on yours too? I don't know about the Tacoma extended cab but my Frontier extended cab comes with a (sort of) long bed. It is longer than the crew cab bed anyway. The rear tire of my bike is able to sit on the bed, the back of the tire just sticks out too far when in straight to close the tailgate.

The tire of my cbr sits dead center on the tailgate and it crushed it down about an inch.

Wonder if a drill n fill would be an effective deterrent for that?

auto, it's not going to be loaded or going off road, so I just stuck with ease. It's mainly a commuting/single moto truck.

Post a F'in pic... for christ sake!

It should be loading in the flickr stream on the front page soon. I can't access flickr at work though, so you will have to get the link and post it here.

This...

http://www.flickr.com/photos/twfix/4926832820/

Why in the F won't it let me link it... stupid POS flicker!

Understandable. I didn't particularly need a manual for anything but I test drove one and thought that was slow so I didn't bother looking at an even slower auto. It didn't hurt that the manual was cheaper, got better mileage, and there were more of them in stock either.

Yeah, it's not a performance beast. It's reliable and gets 5 mpg over the Nissan which is the other one I was looking at. The Tacoma is faster than my Civic, so that's a step up for me. I wasn't really looking for all out performance. Just something to get the job done, get decent gas mileage, and not be too pricey. This one satisfies that bill.

we traded a Colorado a few months back for a Nissan Titan and couldn't be happier. The Colorado was very small inside and not at all comfortable even to sit. The bed size was cramped even with 2 dirt bikes and 2 sport bikes weren't going to happen at all.

I'd skip the Colorado...

We were looking at the frontier. The Tacoma seemed to have more of a roomier interior than the frontier, another reason we went toyota.

I purchased a Tacoma already.

HA, I see now...guess I should read through the entire thread better ...:)

Mine's bigger :d

Sorry I dont have to make up for a small penis.

:idk: me neither, I do however have to make it through 4' snow drifts on a regular basis. :lol:

Yeah the most we have is a dusting. There is really no point of a big truck in the south unless you need to tow/haul big loads.

I hear that.

My brother had a 2000'ish frontier with the V6. It was fine in town and getting up to highway speed but once at 70mph. It had no uumph to pass. Also didn't get that good of mpg. This was the model with the "bigger" tires on it. I've seen some new ones with a lot smaller tires on them.